TM

TunnelBear

A mockup for a Macbook placed on a table for a website

Helping people enjoy a more open internet —safely and securely

Helping people enjoy a more open internet —safely and securely

TunnelBear was a joyful, unexpected start to my design career. I redesigned the product across platforms, built a design system from the ground up, and helped lead a full brand and website refresh—all while drawing bears (lots of bears… and fish… and sometimes people too), animating delightful moments, and turning complex concepts into lovable experiences for 25+ million users.

TunnelBear was a joyful, unexpected start to my design career. I redesigned the product across platforms, built a design system from the ground up, and helped lead a full brand and website refresh—all while drawing bears (lots of bears… and fish… and sometimes people too), animating delightful moments, and turning complex concepts into lovable experiences for 25+ million users.

My Role:

Product Designer

My Role:

Product Designer

My Scope:

UX, UI & visual design, design system, illustration, & motion

My Scope:

UX, UI & visual design, design system, illustration, & motion

4 screenshots of the tunnelbear iOS app
4 screenshots of the tunnelbear iOS app

Working at TunnelBear fresh out of university, I discovered my love for product strategy, and systems thinking. I also pitched myself into the first product design role at the company, and began shaping the approach I use in my practice today — what I like to call purposeful play.

Animation of a bear typing on a help page
4 screenshots of the tunnelbear account page

To me, purposeful play means:


01

Designing the unexpected - adding surprise where you’d expect the ordinary


02

Designing the remarkable - making things memorable


03

Designing the simple – making the right decision obvious


04

Designing the affirming - rewarding good behaviour



Designing at TunnelBear taught me how to balance delight with responsibility, and how strong visual systems can make even the most technical products feel human.

Two screenshots of the app's home & filter screens